One of the Most Underrated Family Fantasy Franchises Just Joined Netflix (But There’s a Problem)

Netflix subscribers looking for a break from their umpteenth viewing of KPop Demon Hunters can now stream an underrated family fantasy franchise. The streaming giant’s catalog of family-friendly content is packed to the brim with must-watch movies like The Wild Robot, Despicable Me, and Cheaper by the Dozen. The library just got a major addition with the arrival of a chaotically fun, fast-paced adventure series.

Ben Stiller’s Night at the Museum trilogy is truly one of the best when it comes to awesome movies the entire family will love. The movies are based on Milan Trenc’s 1993 children’s book and center around a museum night security guard who gets a bit more than he bargained for when the exhibits come to life. Packed with adventure, laughs, and plenty of heart, the movies are a perfect watch for families – but there is a bit of a problem. Only the original trilogy of Night at the Museum, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb arrived on Netflix on February 1st. The animated movie Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again is only on Disney+.

Night at the Museum Is an Underappreciated Family-Friendly Fantasy

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Night at the Museum grossed over $575 million globally to outperform even X-Men: The Last Stand and Superman Returns during the year of its release. That box office success wasn’t matched by its 47% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a bit deceiving given just how great the movie is. The film managed to tap into a childlike sense of wonder and bring history to life in a way that made it feel like an accessible, fun adventure and successfully transformed static, dusty exhibits into charming, hilarious, and magical characters. The plot of the film isn’t just original, but fast-paced, fun, and heartwarming, and its two sequels, both of which earned rotten Tomatometer and Popcornmeter scores, did a pretty decent job of continuing and expanding the story with fresh adventures and historical figures.

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The imaginative story, strong characters portrayed by a talented cast, and chaotic but heartwarming action made Night at the Museum a great adventure for the entire family, who are now rediscovering the movies on Netflix. The original Night at the Museum trilogy is currently a surprise streaming hit, with the 2006 original taking an overall No. 4 ranking on the Netflix US chart and No. 1 on Netflix Kids, even outranking KPop Demon Hunters. Its two sequels respectively take the No. 4 and 5 spots on the Netflix Kids chart, proving the movies’ enduring appeal as a charming, imaginative series that resonates with all ages.

What’s New on Netflix?

Netflix has already given subscribers more than enough options to keep them streaming all month long. Those looking for more great family-friendly arrivals can now stream both How to Train Your Dragon and How to Train Your Dragon 2. Outside of kid-friendly films, the streamer also dropped titles like Crazy, Stupid, Love, Ex Machina, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, and Zero Dark Thirty on February 1st.

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